The Belting Inheritance - Julian Symons

Belting by name and belting by nature! This was a delight from the first word to the last full stop. A wonderful gothic spider web of family secrets and intrigues that have you second guessing all the way through. It’s not a new premise, stranger returns claiming to be long lost relative but this 1964 exposition of the theme is extraordinarily well done.

Our protagonist is Christopher Barrington ‘adopted’ in a manner by the formidable Lady Wainwright mourning her two sons, casualties of WW2, although she has two other sons,Miles and Stephen who do not seem to provoke the same level of maternal solicitation that the lost two do! So when David,  one of the lost sons, appears to return the ailing Lady W. is required to reconsider her inheritance. And then a body is found…………

What follows is Christopher’s attempts to unravel the labyrinth of family secrets and to ascertain whether everyone is who they say they are. A quest which takes him to London, Brighton and Paris. It’s a well written, well plotted story for the most part. There’s a repleteness to the language and the pace which makes for a very satisfying read. 

There are characters of varying intensity, Christopher maintains his dogged, youthful zeal in trying to solve the myriad questions that events throw up. Uncle Miles is a fount of light relief and his spoonerisms quite amusing not to mention his propensity to turn up everywhere! Everybody else fits somewhere inbetween!

Out of the blue I was reminded of Herges Adventures of Tin Tin. I think it was the sequences in Paris where characters kept popping up like the Thompson Twins do in the cartoon!! You could argue that this is a tad contrived but the book is so good that you forgive everything! 

Astute readers will figure out several aspects of the final denouement without all the detail maybe but the writer does an admirable job of tying up all the ends. It’s a belting good read and another feather in the cap of the British Library. 

The Colour of Murder - Julian Symons

A simple enough premise. Unexceptional, unhappily married man crosses paths with a girl he finds irresistibly attractive. Almost obsessed his life spirals off course and he finds himself on trial for murder. First published in 1957 this novel falls into two parts - a monologue for psychiatric assessment, by the protagonists John Wilkins, and an intense trial in the court room. Dare I surmise that if such a tale were to be written today instead of two distinct parts the two would be interwoven with each other and both scenarios would unfold simultaneously? 

However the structure works exceptionally well in this fifties piece of crime writing that had me absorbed from beginning to end. The first part where we hear of events from Wilkins perceptive I found myself reminded of Patricia Highsmith where you will the character not to behave in a certain way or make a certain decision because you know it will end in disaster. The second part is as tight a piece of court room writing as you’ll ever read and as such keeps you on your toes throughout. You don’t want to miss a comma let alone a word!!

It’s a marvellously solid plot, simple in its complexity. It couldn’t work today of course because forensics would ascertain some certainties straight away. In a way that's what makes it so delicious to read!! It also subtly raises questions about the very nature of justice itself.

The characters are almost without exception functional which I feel is a deliberate device because there is no need to engage with any of them sympathetically apart from maybe the murder victim, poor soul! Mr. Wilkins has an almost pathetic unpleasantness but never pathetic enough for us to feel especially sorry for him. The reader is allowed to remain objective; the psychiatric report is as factual as the trial proceedings. It’s a marvellously controlled piece of writing for I imagine it must be hard for a writer not to allow his characters to engage? 

The final denouement is as unexpected as it is obvious, well almost obvious? There was always the possibility but it was so understated the reader can only doubt themselves. 

Once again my thanks to the British Library for allowing me the privilege of reading this compelling tale. I’d like to say you’ve done it again, guys! But I think I’ve already said something along those lines in a previous review!  Oh, check out the cover, another retro travel poster beauty.

The Taken - Alice Clark-Platts

Regular readers of my blog might recall my resolution to use my local public library more frequently this year.If so you will even have noticed have a recent dearth of library book reviews! I have redressed the balance somewhat by selecting this worthy tome. I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of Bitter Fruits, Ms. Clark-Platt’s debut novel some years ago and I waxed quite lyrical about it (pre blog days if you were thinking of looking!). Her second DI Erica Martin book has been on my RWTR list (Really Want To Read) for nearly a couple of years! I was delighted to see this copy nestling on the library shelves just waiting for me to pluck it down.

It’s a credible follow up to the first and I found it to be a real page turner. Very dark and gritty with a twisty plot full of dubious characters who might or might not be on the straight and narrow. I don’t think it matters if you’ve read the first Erica Martin book or not. We get a clear picture of who she is and where she’s at in this book as well as her policing style.

It’s well written. A police procedural investigating a dysfunctional family with a complex plot and a fast paced narrative that barely gives you time to think. Insights into Erica and her personal life are interspersed amidst the meat of the action and there is plenty of action. There was one unexpected twist that quite shocked me, not to mention DI Martin, but I’m not going to tell you, of course! Questions are raised about the sincerity and integrity of religious organisations if you're looking for something more to think than just enjoying a gripping crime story.

I think the book firmly establishes the author as a laudable thriller writer and it has in no way dampened my enthusiasm for her work. Her next book, The Flower Girls, not a DI Martin as far as I can see, is scheduled for publication in January next year. I hope it doesn’t take me as long getting around to reading it!

I also include the link to my thoughts on libraries - https://nudge-book.com/blog/2018/03/libraries-a-reflection-by-gill-chedgey/

The Life of Almost - Anna Vaught

This is quite an extraordinary book the like of which I’ve not read in a long time. More a novella than a novel it’s deceptive because quality not quantity demands the reader spend as much time on it as a much longer book. I was drawn to it initially because it was blurbed as a retelling of Dickens’ Great Expectations, a favourite of mine. But it is much more than that.

Homage to both Dickens and Shakespeare and would it be pushing it to cite Dylan Thomas too? Or am I seduced by the very Welshness of the vernacular and imagining an Under Milk Woodish intonation in my head? Welsh legend is present without intruding.

It’s prose but it’s not, it’s poetry but it’s not, it’s magical realism but it’s not and it’s all of those things but it’s not! So what is it? And does it matter? It’s quirky and lyrical but underneath all of those things that it is and those things that it isn’t is an exploration of grief and bereavement told from Almost’s point of view. But even that is not as straightforward as we might expect. It’s the life of Almost told by Almost about Almost. But it’s also an examination of relationships and of the people who matter in our lives whether their input is positive or negative. 

This is a book for lovers of language, poetic in thought and word. This is book for those whose imaginations allow themselves to be taken anywhere without resistance. This is a book for those who delight in mermaids and Dickensian digressions, lovers of language and literary allusions.

This is what I like to call a ‘once on a while’ book. Once in a while a book come along that defies categorisation or summary. Erudite assessments of characterisation, plot, style and technique are redundant here. But sadly, I don’t think this is a mainstream book. It will appeal to a niche audience who will delight in it but I can’t see it hitting the best seller lists though I doubt that was ever the intention. 

My thanks to Nudge books for the opportunity to experience this literary sense fest!

Questioning Cancer - Giuliano D'Alessandro

Non fiction is something of a departure on my blog in these days of fiction zeal. But this is a book everyone should read. For in it the author seeks to challenge our sheep-like acceptance of current practices within the health and food industries, and beyond. 

I read this book in one sitting. Many of the ideas within it in mirror my own thoughts and deductions over the years. If I might quote from the back cover ‘The Earth has always provided for us in nutrition and medicine, it is only recently that we have learnt to ignore the abundance of this truly incredible world we live in.’ Beautifully put. 

This book sets out succinctly, and what a delight it is to have everything under one roof so to speak, the main areas that are negatively impacting on our health and well being and what we might be able to do about it. Seeking out knowledge is key and my impression is that this book is the result of one man’s dedication to educating himself from all the knowledge out there and forming what are, surely, obvious conclusions?  He’s done much of the work for you, people! But let this book be a catalystt for your own discoveries. 

In a way the title is a bit of a misnomer because it is about much more than questioning cancer however that subject forms a, maybe contentious, exploration into whether chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the best treatments for a disease which we are possibly causing by our lifestyles. And how the pharmaceutical companies are profiting and, dare I say, perpetuating ‘dis-ease’. 

It is a challenging book. It pulls no punches. But it is one thing to question passive acceptance of systems in place, many people do that without substantiation, this book looks at alternatives and solutions. There is an emphasis on seeking out information for yourself and taking control of your own health and your own life. 

I was fortunate enough to be given a copy of this book by the writer, who I will say with some pride, was a former pupil of mine. Thank you, Giuliano. I give you ten out of ten and a gold star!!

For those interested I include a YouTube video of the author speaking on the Reclaiming Perception series.

Gallows Court - Martin Edwards

When I first started reading novels in the British Library Crime Classics series I used to bypass the introductions because I just wanted to get stuck into the stories. But for some reason on one occasion I did read the introduction and I’ve never looked back. Martin Edwards’ expertise and unobtrusive prologues are valuable additions to the reading experience as a whole and I look forward now to reading them as well as the stories. I vaguely knew he wrote crime novels of his own but this is the first I have read. 

And what a treat it is! I read it in a couple of sittings for it really is unputdownable. And if that’s not a word, well, it is now! Gallows Court is a rich, dark, atmospheric tale written in the style of the Golden Age of Crime novels. The plot is complex and labyrinthine and, boy, you need to pay attention!! For nothing is quite as it seems. I am actually quite breathless at the breadth of plotting that Mr. Edwards has produced. It’s quite remarkable. 

The book also has a cast of characters that all play their part and their development is so skilful. I can’t think of a comparable work with so many characters all so well drawn jumping off the page at you. Even the dead characters have an imposing presence!! I am thinking of Judge Savernake! The narrative style is flowing and accessible begging you to read on. It’s so authentic that you believe it’s not just set in the 1930s but written then too. The language, the historical detail, the police procedures - wonderful. There’s a dual narrative with first person diary entries from a character, Juliet Brentano. Of her I’ll say no more! The rest is straightforward third person narrative. 

The two main protagonists Jacob Flint a keen, young journalist and Rachel Savernake, enigmatic, wealthy heiress, daughter of the above mentioned judge, are perfect as opposites. And again I applaud the depth of characterisation. The story is a complex one and I doubt that even if I wanted to offer spoilers that I could such are the intricacies of the writing. But Jacob’s predecessor has been injured after an accident and Jacob finds himself at the scene of a high profile suicide. This is the catalyst for the rest of the story which takes us into some distasteful aspects of gentlemans’ society of the time, corruption, depravity, violence. The titular Gallows Court is a creepy location frequented by lawyers among others. There are sub plots that take us to a remote Irish island. It’s a locked room mystery, a codes and cyphers mystery, an identity mystery. In the hands of some writers this might be get tangled and muddled there is so much going on and so many pertinent characters who demand our attention. It might be easy for the writer to lose their way. But this doesn’t happen under Mr. Edwards' skilful pen. 

Much as I revere the writing I can actually see this story translating well to the screen, large or small. I think it would make an excellent historical crime series and I’m already casting in my head!! That is surely another testament to the quality of the writing? it is so easy to picture it all. 

I commend this book to crime lovers everywhere! I could continue with the superlatives but I’m wasting your time!! Go and read the book!! My thanks to Florence Hare at Head of Zeus for the opportunity  to read this and to Abbie Day at British Library Publishing for pointing me in the right direction! 

The Rival - Charlotte Duckworth BLOG TOUR

Greetings Fellow Book Lovers! Today it is my very great pleasure to host today's spot on the blog tour for Charlotte Duckworth's debut novel The Rival. And my thanks to Ella Patel at Quercus Books for the opportunity to read this book and participate in the tour.

The Blurb -

NOW

Living in her home in the remote countryside - the perfect place to get away from it all - Helena is a career woman with no job and a mother without a baby. She blames Ashley for destroying her life. But is what happened really Ashley's fault?    

THEN

                               

When Helena hires Ashley to work for her, she's startled but impressed by her fierce ambition. They form a dream team and Helena is proud -  maybe this is the protege she's always  wanted to have? But soon Helena realises that nothing will stand in the way of Ashley's drive to get to the top. And when Helena becomes pregnant, everything she has worked so hard for is suddenly threatened, with devastating consequences...

The Author -

Charlotte Duckworth is a graduate of the Faber Academy's acclaimed six-month 'Writing a Novel course. She studied Classics at Leeds University and then completed a postgraduate diploma in magazine journalism. For the past 15 years she has worked was an interiors and lifestyle journalist, writing for a wide range of consumer magazined and websites. In 2011, she completed a postgraduate diploma in Screenwriting from London College of Communication. she lives in Surrey with her partner and two-year-old daughter.



The Review -

Of all the genres of books I review I find psychological thrillers the hardest to do purely in terms of restraining myself from inadvertently throwing out spoilers. I want to point out some of the delicious twisty bits and say hey, how about this then!! But of course I can’t ! All I can do is suggest you read the book!

As I started to become immersed in this taut psychological thriller I could see similarities between a fairly recent TV drama series The Replacement which followed a similar theme. Two women, maternity leave, ambition. But what a TV show cannot do with its visual medium is allow you into the minds of the protagonists which is what Charlotte Duckworth does very ably here and with keen perception. 

We have a 'dual' dual narrative, (or could it be a 'duel' narrative?!) with the Now and the Then of both Helena and Ash the two women who are the titular rivals. Ash, with the tactless zeal of young ambition, reveals her story layer by layer by layer. She doesn’t impress as an especially nice person but things are never as they seem are they? Not in a psychological thriller they aren’t anyway. Thank goodness! By the end of the book compassion endures. Helena, older, more experienced with that tacit paradoxical insecurity of having risen the ladder and needing to stay there. Then pregnancy strikes…………… And I’m on the brink of spoiler alert here so I’ll tread cautiously here. Suffice to say Helena’s Now and Then reveal is of a different nature to Ash’s. She presents as a slightly more sympathetic character and those sympathies continue to be engaged as we progress through her story.

There is no shortage of psychological thrillers. And there is no shortage of good psychological thrillers. One could argue they can be formulaic. But isn’t that what we enjoy about them? For as much as the protagonists within the narrative reveal to us their many flaws and hang ups isn’t the writer playing a delectable psychological game with the minds of their readers? We invariably fall for it. How many times have we gleefully patted ourselves on the back because we ’saw that coming’ ? And how many times have we sat up in shock because we ‘didn’t see that coming’?! There are those who feel that if they have second guessed something it is a flaw on the part of the writer. I disagree. I think it is the writer crediting their reader with some intelligence!! But you need to have the unexpected, you need to have a twist, if that’s what you want to call it. And to me it is achieving this balance that makes for a good psychological thriller.  Does the reader get that balance in The Rivals? I believe so. 

But you can have all the characterisations you like, all manner of unexpected twists and turns but if it isn’t written well you won’t impress your reader. I found this to be a well written book. And if you want a more than a straightforward thriller there are issues to ponder here regarding the situation of women in the workplace, career versus motherhood, employment issues regarding pregnancy. Any desire for these issues to overshadow the story as a whole were avoided. A good balance is struck. 

It’s a debut novel from a writer with a journalistic background. It’s a competent piece of work. It's a well balanced novel. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it, nibbling at the very least , on some of the top seller lists.

But hey, that's just my thoughts.

Please, join my fellow bloggers on the blog tour for The Rival.